Harry Potter and the Missing Socks
by Chasil
Summary: Ever wonder where all those socks disappear off to when you know they came straight from the dryer? Ron, being a victim of a sock thief on an early Saturday morning, demands an explaination! And so the adventure begins.
1. There was something afoot

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters.  
Chapter 1  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Where is that bloody sock?!" Ron said while throwing random articles of clothing across the dormitory. One of his pairs of  
trousers had apparently landed on Trevor, and Neville nearly fainted seeing a pair of trousers hopping across the floor.  
"Harry! Do you reckon Peeves has been up to sock stealing in the dorms!?" exclaimed Ron with a slightly red face, redder  
than usual anyway.  
"Peeves? No, he wouldn't sink as low as a common sock thief!" Ron seemed to catch the hint of sarcasm in Harry's voice and  
continued rummaging through his near empty trunk.  
There was a knock at the door, which was followed by a young witch covering her eyes with both hands. It was Hermione.  
"Morning Hermione!" Harry greeted her cheerfully. As for Ron, he simply scowled when he discovered his trunk was empty,  
and no sock was to be found. Once Harry greeted her, she slowly peeked from her hands.  
"Doing some dorm redecorating I see." she said as she looked around noticing all of Ron's belongings strewn around the   
dorm.  
"What in the name of- Ron Weasley! I demand you to clean up all your stuff this instance!" Percy had decided to drop by   
this morning. Ron not being in the best mood, called Percy a name that made Hermione say, 'Ron! Where did you ever learn  
such a word?!'. Harry knew exactly where he learned it, let's just say it's best not to jinx Draco Malfoy with something he doesn't  
know how to remove!  
Ron explained the whole thing to Hermione, and his hypothesis about Peeves being the sock thief.  
"Sock thief? Don't be preposterous! Peeves isn't allowed in dorms, Dumbledore would be furious if Peeves had been stealing  
from students." Hermione replied in a calm voice. Ron wasn't listening as he grabbed a pair of Harry's socks to borrow.  
"Do you reckon it has something to do down in the laundry service?" Hermione's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates.  
"LAUNDRY SERVICE?! And I suppose that is run by house elves too!?" they had long forgotten S.P.E.W., but they knew all  
too well that Hermione would attempt to revive it. But before she could march off and fetch the remaining S.P.E.W. badges,  
Harry caught her arm.  
"Not now, Hermione."  
"Well now. I have some socks, let's go get us some breakfast!" Ron ran down the stairs leading to the common room and  
waited for the other two to follow suit.  
"Harry, there are HOUSE ELVES doing laundry somewhere! We must go convince them into demanding wages and holidays!"  
"Hermione, I agree with you," Hermione's eyes grew wide with disbelief. "But something in Hogwarts is stealing socks."  
"... Do you think it could be Dobby? He was quite fond of socks last year." Harry remembered last Christmas when Dobby had  
given him socks.  
"No, Dobby would never steal. He's an oddball house elf, but he's not a thief." Hermione nodded in agreement. They heard  
someone running back up the stairs.  
"Hermione, must I remind you that you're in the middle of a boy's dormitory?" Ron said with fairly loud voice. Hermione looked  
around and saw that Seamus, Neville, and Dean were peeking from under their blankets, obviously clad in nothing but their   
boxers. Hermione left with a bit of a flush on her face, and hopped down the stairs. Ron then looked at Harry motioning him to  
hurry up.  
The common room was unusually crowded for an early Saturday morning. Fred and George, their last year at Hogwarts, were  
twice as determined to pull off twice as many jokes than last year. Harry noted they had already fooled three people with a new  
invention, Ever Giggling Mints, which caused the consumer to go into a fit of giggles. Harry, having learned his lesson last year,  
never accepted food from the twins. They edged their way to the portrait hole and clambered out.  
"And where do you three think you're going?" said the Fat Lady in the picture. The ignored her and made their way to the  
kitchens with Hermione leading the way. After that incident during the triwizard tournament, they thought best to keep away  
from the kitchens for some time. Luckily the house elves had forgotten Hermione trying to get them wages and welcomed them  
in with warm 'hellos' and pastries of all kinds.  
"Where's Dobby?" Harry asked. He looked down and noticed something had latched onto his leg and was hugging it.  
"Mr. Harry Potter, sir! Dobby has missed you greatly!" Harry noticed Winky had cleaned herself up a bit and was back to   
normal. He pried Dobby off his leg and began asking him about the laundry room, and where it could be found.  
"Harry Potter, sir! Only lowly house elves work in the laundry rooms! Not fit place for wizards at all!" he proceeded to shake  
his head. Hermione tutted and Ron was shoveling as many pastries as he could into his robes.  
"But Dobby, we need to know where it is." Dobby looked over his shoulders, and pulled Harry over to a quiet corner.  
"Sir, Dobby knows where it is. Dobby show you!" he sprang from the corner and led the way. He led them through the kitchen,  
and he opened up a trap door in the floor that hadn't been there before. Dobby hopped down into the darkness, but Harry, not  
wanting to squash his elf friend, slowly slid himself down into the darkness. Seeing as it was too dark, he pulled out his wand and  
muttered, "Lumos". To his surprise, it was a tunnel, much like the one hidden in the statue of the old hag. Ron climbed down,   
then Hermione.  
"Why are there so many bloody tunnels under Hogwarts? And do you think Fred and George have ever found this one?" Ron  
asked.  
"The entrance may be in the kitchen floor, but I doubt they could've found it. It was enchanted so you can't see it." Hermione  
replied.  
Dobby not wasting any time, began sprinting down the dark tunnel, with the others close behind. They had jogged for what  
seemed like ten minutes, and began seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Dobby steadily gained speed and in no time they  
were at the entrance of the laundry room.  
"This is where Dobby will have to leave you, sirs, and miss!" Dobby did a little bow, and ran off in the direction they had just  
come.  
"Dobby sure is a weird one." Ron said slightly out of breath. Not knowing what was on the other side, for the entrance seemed  
to be a wall of steam at least seven feet thick. They gathered their courage, and marched on through. 


	2. Draco and his bad timing

Chapter 2 --------------------   
  
  
Being slightly disoriented by the thick steam, they made it through safely. Harry wiped his fogged up glasses, and looked up around the room. There were probably hundreds of washers and dryers, each having two elves "manning" them.   
  
"Would you look at that?!" exclaimed Hermione pointing up at the ceiling. Harry and Ron squinted trying to figure out what exactly that giant mechanism was doing there.   
  
"What is it Hermione?" asked Ron. Hermione didn't seem to have an answer to that question.   
  
"I don't know," they all studied it a bit more. "Perhaps we should all go take a closer look at it." Hermione started for the ladder to the right of them.   
  
"Are you sure it's safe? I mean, we don't know what it does." Hermione shook her head and explained how Dumbledore would never allow anything extremely dangerous in the school.   
  
"But we're not even supposed to be here!" Ron was pushing Hermione's limits.   
  
"Look, if you don't want to find your socks, FINE. But Parvati is driving me insane! Always complaining about her favorite periwinkle socks being missing. And if there's a way to shut her up, I'm going to do it!" she continued up the ladder. Ron heaved a heavy sigh, and began to climb it as well.   
  
"Harry, aren't you coming?"   
  
"I'll be up in a moment! Just want to see some of these," Harry pointed to a washer. "Considering how many times Hermione's mentioned muggle devices not working on Hogwarts, I want to know how these function."   
  
"Harry, in second year you drove Mr. Weasley's car on campus, am I right?" Hermione seemed to have a point.   
  
"But washers and dryers run on electricity!" Hermione shook her head and kept climbing. Harry made his way around some elves pushing baskets full of laundry, towards an elf that didn't seem so preoccupied.   
  
"Er, hello." the elf didn't look up at Harry. Harry tried greeting it again.   
  
"Oh, so sorry! Do you need laundry? Iris try to get it done fast! Name please?" the elf was apparently named Iris. Iris motioned her washing machine associate to hurry over.   
  
"Actually, I was just wondering how these washing machines and dryers are functioning." Iris looked over at her co-worker and they both shrugged.   
  
"'Tis a house elf's place to work. Not question things, no, no. Only disobedient elves do that!" shouted Iris's partner. Iris nodded in silence. Hermione would've had a fit if she had just heard what the elf was yelling.   
  
"Harry! Hurry up! You've got to see this!" Ron was alternating between looking into the humming machine's window and telling Harry to climb faster. Harry got there and found himself in front of an extremely hyper Ron, and a anxious Hermione.   
  
"Harry! Go ahead! Look!" Ron said pushing Harry up to the minute window. Harry gasped when he realized what he was staring at.   
  
Turning around he exclaimed, "There's a phoenix in there!" Hermione nodded, obviously still contemplating it's motive for being there.   
  
"Do you reckon it's related to Fawkes?" Ron said while gaping at it. Hermione was still in deep thought, and Harry was trying to get a better look.   
  
"Did you notice what was surrounding it?" Hermione catechized. Ron shook his head.   
  
"I was a little too busy just looking at it."   
  
"Well, for your information. It's surrounded by socks!" Ron's eyes widened. He and Harry were fighting over to see which would look into the window first. Hermione sighed and started once more.   
  
"I think it's guarding something as well. Like Fluffy was." they all recalled Hagrid's three-headed dog. Harry peeked in and saw what Hermione was talking about. It was indeed sitting on something, something quite large in fact.   
  
"What is it?" Hermione shrugged and suggested they go to the library to research phoenixes. Ron groaned but Harry kept silent, seeing as Hermione glared at Ron for his lack of enthusiasm. They made their way down the ladder, but were surprised to hear someone coming through the steam.   
  
"Hurry! Down that row!" Hermione whispered at them. They scuttled their way there and watched the person walk out of the fog. It was Dumbledore. He slowly climbed the ladder, and made his way to the device containing the phoenix and socks. Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Dumbledore knew they were hiding behind a dryer.   
  
"Good day, Vermilion!" Dumbledore addressed to the phoenix. "Hope you find Hogwarts' accommodations comfortable." he waved at a nearby elf and continued on with his conversation with Vermilion. Harry nudged the others.   
  
"We should leave, Dumbledore most likely knows we're here, so we might as well leave. Seems like he has business with Vermilion that we shouldn't be listening in on." the others nodded and followed Harry into the steam. The trip back didn't seem as long as the first trip. They were back at the kitchen's entrance in no time.   
  
"What was that?!" Fred exclaimed. George was too busy trying to fit as many treacle tarts as he could into his robes.   
  
"It's nothing, just leads to the laundry room, Dumbledore's there mind you. So I wouldn't go exploring just yet." Hermione explained. Ron nodded, but began nibbling on some treacle tart.   
  
"Nothing, eh? Fred, how do you think we've missed that one? I mean, it's in the kitchen!" Fred shrugged. George gazed at the tunnel for a couple of seconds, and resumed the pillaging of tarts.   
  
"Shall we go to the library now?" Harry asked. Ron groaned again, and Hermione shot him another glare.   
  
To their surprise, they were greeted there by someone who they hadn't seen in a long time. "Well, look at this! C'mere!" Charlie said as he hugged Ron. Ron, too shocked to react, just kept gaping at Charlie. "What's wrong with you, Ron? Didn't expect me here did you now?" he smiled. He shook hands with both Hermione and Harry.   
  
"So what have you been up to lately, Charlie?" Hermione asked quizzically.   
  
"Oh, not much. Just flew in from Romania. Hogwarts business, so I'm not at liberty to say."   
  
"You're starting to sound like Percy." Ron made a face after he said it, reflecting his opinion of his other older brother. Charlie snorted.   
  
"Nonsense, I don't sound a bit like Percy. But it's pretty important to Dumbledore and asked me to keep quiet about it. Especially around you three." one of his eyebrows arched, and he darted his eyes between the three of them. He then laughed again.   
  
"So how long will you be here?"   
  
"About three weeks. Plenty of time to catch up with my little bro!" he said as he put Ron in a head lock. Harry and Hermione were trying hard not to laugh as they watched Ron flail his arms about trying to find means of escape. Charlie let go and Ron gasped for air. Ron glared at his brother, and scooted his chair a decent three feet away from him. Charlie smiled at them and insisted that he had to attend to Dumbledore.   
  
"I wish I had a brother sometimes." sighed Hermione. Harry silently agreed, but shuddered at the thought of Dudley having more people to torment.   
  
"Ok, let's start looking for Phoenixes!" Hermione scurried off to the far end of the library, Ron wandered off into a random aisle, and Harry started with the closest shelf. Just as Harry began flipping through a book, he heard Hermione scream. He saw Ron run out of his aisle as well and they ran in the direction of the screams. They found Hermione sitting down in a corner with her head down, crying, muttering to herself.   
  
"Hermione! What's wrong?!" Hermione shoved Ron away as he reached for her. She was having hallucinations.   
  
"There's a unicorn, THERE!" she shouted while pointing at an area of the library that was empty. "It's dead... and there was something drinking it's blood... It looked up at me... And smiled... Oh Harry! Ron! It had red eyes!" she slumped back down into the corner and quietly sobbed. Harry rushed at the window, only to find Draco Malfoy down on the grounds with his wand out. Draco waved at Harry, and walked away.   
  
Ron attended to Hermione and escorted her out of the library. Harry was still at the window looking down at the grounds.   
  
  
_Had Draco done what I just thought he did? Did he dare perform dark magic on campus? And on Hermione, no less._   
  
  
Harry idly trudged after Hermione and Ron. He found Ron sitting outside the girls' bathroom.   
  
"So how's she doing?" Ron took a moment before answering, but Hermione interrupted.   
  
"There's no need to worry about me. And no need for me to go to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey would just recommend some chocolate, and a goof night's rest. But since it's only 5:36 P.M., I won't be sleeping for awhile." Harry and Ron still looked concerned.   
  
"Really, I'm fine." she felt her forehead. "It's nothing. It was just the shock of seeing it in the library, the worst I thought I could ever see there was..." she stopped herself from continuing.   
  
"What did you see?" Ron asked. Hermione shook her head and they both knew to not ask any more questions. 


	3. Hermione's Summer

Chapter 3  
--------------------  
  
  
Hermione in her dorm reading to keep her mind off things, Ron in the common room doing some homework he had before left untouched, and Harry, tracking down Draco for some interrogating. To his surprise he found him with ease, as if Draco knew he'd be looking for him.  
  
  
"Hello Potter." Draco said with a smug grin on his face. Harry felt like jumping him and giving him the beating he deserved, but he had no actual evidence Draco did anything at all.   
  
"Hello. Mind telling me what you were doing outside just a little while ago?"   
  
"Well, if you really want to know-" Harry cut him off by grabbing his robes and shoving him forcefully against the cold, stone wall.   
  
"If I didn't know any better Potter, I'd think you were trying to force yourself on me! Is this where I start screaming 'rape' and you get expelled?"   
  
"Don't joke with me now Draco, not now. Now tell me what you were doing outside." Harry was having trouble keeping his composure.   
  
Draco smirked, "See, you're a good friend to that Hermione. " he said while wagging a finger at Harry. "It's a shame Crabbe and Goyle didn't pass they're O.W.L.'s, they would've enjoyed pounding you right now."   
  
"That doesn't answer any of my questions!"   
  
"Actually, you only asked one question to begin with. Not so good with counting, are you Potter?" Draco knew Harry would burst at any second, so he decided to get serious. "But if you really want to know, it wasn't me attacking your precious girlfriend. I merely saw someone who was in my way outside and told them to get lost."   
  
"How do I know if you're lying?" Harry asked while releasing Draco's robes. "And Hermione's not my girlfriend."   
  
"Well, you don't know if I'm lying. And I'll keep in mind that Hermione's single." Draco had lost his habit of calling her mudblood during the summer. He turned away from Harry, and sauntered off into the hall. Harry knowing he hadn't learned anything new, except the fact that Hermione best watch out for Draco, that testosterone mad ferret. Harry began walking towards the Gryffindor tower, but had an inkling that he should go pay Dumbledore a visit.   
  
*******  
  
  
Harry was once more stranded without a password in front of the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office.   
  
"Hm, there's just too many bloody candies out there in the wizarding world now!" he kicked it, and once more experienced the excruciating pain like the last time he kicked it. Harry thought to himself, trying to think of something significant: Vermilion. "Vermilion" he whispered, and the gargoyle jumped aside. Feeling slightly better that he had gotten it on the first try, he ascended up the dimly lit stairs.   
  
"But professor, do you think it's wise to keep something that significant there? I'm sure it'd be much better off in the care of professionals." Harry could hear Charlie's voice.   
  
"Be that as it may, Hogwarts is by far the safest place for it. That is why I called you here. I know you're an expert on most firey creatures."   
  
"Isn't it a tad risky to keep it in the laundry room?"   
  
"It's the warmest place there is in Hogwarts, with all the washers and dryers there, I'm surprised it hasn't become a little tropical island." Harry thought back a couple of hours. And it indeed had been fairly warm and humid in the laundry room.   
  
"So where will Vermilion be going after the eggs hatch?" Harry was shocked, so that's what the phoenix was sitting upon.   
  
"Shall we continue this discussion later? I believe I have someone outside waiting for me to finish. You may come in, Harry." Charlie's eyes widened at the sight of Harry.   
  
"Hullo Harry." Harry replied to Charlie and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk.   
  
"Well then, I'll be off Dumbledore." Dumble nodded and waited for Charlie to be out the door before saying anything to Harry.   
  
"Harry, I'd appreciate it greatly if you didn't tell anyone about Vermilion, and I do know Hermione and Ron already know of its existence in the laundry room." Harry assented. "Was there anything you wanted to discuss?"   
  
"Er, well, not really. I just had a feeling I should visit you." Harry realized his reason was fairly stupid, but Dumbledore didn't seem to.   
  
"Following one's intuition is a skill, most people doubt themselves and ignore it. You on the other hand, have done many extraordinary things, which is all due to you following your intuition." Dumbledore reached into his desk and offered Harry a lemon drop. Harry took it and told Dumbledore he best be off checking on Hermione.   
  
"Harry, watch out for Ms. Granger. There's something afoot at Hogwarts." Harry felt the pit of his stomach drop. Dumbledore knew most everything that went on in Hogwarts, but did he know about the attack? Did he know who it was, and for what reason? Harry had an inkling it had something to do with Vermilion and the eggs. He hurried back to the dorm.   
  
"'Harry where were you?" asked Ron when he heard the portrait open up.   
  
"Where's Hermione" Ron told Harry she hadn't come down yet, and was still reading in her room. Harry climbed the stairs leading to the fifth year girl's dormitory. He tapped the door three times and decided to go in. Harry gasped, not because the girls' dorm was so much cleaner than the boys', but because Hermione was missing.   
  
There was someone behind him, "Harry Potter, what are you doing in the girls' dorm!?" Harry turned around to be faced with Parvati Patil. For no reason, he looked down and noticed she was wearing her periwinkle socks, Hermione would be glad she wouldn't have to deal with Parvati for awhile. But that made no difference, Harry brushed past her without so much of an explaination and told Ron that Hermione was missing.   
  
"What? She hasn't come down at all, how would she be able to walk past me while I'm right here." he pointed to himself and then to the mass of homework, books, and what not strewn around him on the floor.   
  
"Are you going to help me or not?" Ron pulled himself up, dusted off his pants, and nodded at Harry.   
  
"Hermione's my friend too, Harry. Of course I'm going to help. Where do you think we should start?" they were interrupted by Parvati gabbing louder than usual. They ignored her and headed for the library.   
  
The walk there was silent, Ron broke it first. "So do you think Hermione would be there so soon after the incident?"   
  
"Maybe." they were at the entrance of the library when they saw Draco walk out.   
  
"Fancy seeing you here, Potter. And you've brought your little friend too." Ron was far from 'little', he was a decent couple of inches taller than most fifth years, including Draco.   
  
"Sod off, Draco." Ron replied and they went into the library.   
  
They were greeted by Hermione who was reading a book in the peaceful library. "Hullo."   
  
"How did you manage to get passed me?" Ron blurted out. Hermione's face contorted with confusion. "I mean, I was there doing homework the whole time! You couldn't have very well just walked out without me noticing."   
  
"Oh, that. Well I summoned Harry's invisibility cloak, and walked out with it on. You would've made too big a fuss over me if I tried to leave the tower." Ron scowled, it was true. He would've.   
  
Harry felt something tug at him, something was still bothering him. Then he asked, "What was Draco doing here?" Hermione appeared to be startled by Harry's question, but calmly replied that he asked her if she was ok.   
  
"Oh, he's up to something!" Ron exclaimed while wagging a finger at Hermione and Harry. "He's definitely up to something."   
  
"Don't be a git, Ron. He merely asked me if I was ok. I thought it was awfully sweet of him too." Ron nearly exploded at this.   
  
"DRACO?! THE SAME DRACO MALFOY THAT HAD CALLED YOU NAMES AND MADE FUN OF YOU FOR FOUR YEARS!?" the librarian shot Ron the evilest of glares and told him to lower his voice that instant. Ron whispered, "Draco is up to no good, I know it."   
  
"He is up to no such thing! Ron, honestly. If anybody does anything nice for someone else you always think they're up to something." Hermione shook her head and walked out of the library.   
  
"Mental that one is." Harry nodded, though he didn't agree.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
Harry and Ron didn't see Hermione for the rest of the day, except for dinner. Harry was in the middle, inbetween Hermione and Ron. They weren't speaking. It was a fairly quiet dinner, except the occasional thing Hermione wanted Harry to tell Ron.   
  
"Harry, would you please tell Ron, he's a git." Harry sighed, and told Ron he was a git.   
  
"Harry, tell Hermione she should be more cautious." Harry sighed again, and told Hermione to be more careful. With that Hermione stormed up to the dorm.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"It's like he doesn't trust my judgement, I know Draco was mean to me before, but he's changed. And for the better." Hermione put her head on her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs. Parvati nodded.   
  
"They just don't know Draco like you have. And they probably don't realize how HOT he is either." Parvati giggled, and Hermione found it amusing. Lavendar joined in.   
  
"So what's with Draco's sudden change? Did something happen between you two during summer?" Parvati and Lavender's eyes grew bright and urged Hermione to tell them if something had happened.   
  
"It was nothing really. I wanted to study a bit over the summer holiday, so I took courses at a wizarding college, and since it was so far away from my home, I stayed at the dorms. Draco had evidently wanted to get ahead in school, so he was there too." Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny, who seemed to appear out of no where, burst into a fit of giggles and began dreaming of one day having a summer like that, without the classes of course.   
  
"It's really nothing at all. You're taking it all out of proportion!" this wasn't true, but she didn't feel like telling them everything about her summer. Not until Harry and Ron knew at least. Parvati, Lavender, and Ginny frowned but continued talking of how romantic it could've been. Hermione had phased out due to the ridiculous chit chat going on, but soon returned to reality when she heard Ginny call her over.   
  
"Ok, we're going to play truth or dare. Hermione, you in?" asked Lavender with eagerness. Hermione shrugged, and joined them all on Parvati's bed.   
  
"I'll go first! Hm, GINNY, truth or dare?" Ginny chose truth, and Lavender asked, "Who do you like?" to which Ginny blushed but finally answered.   
  
"Harry." Hermione had known for quite some time that Ginny fancied Harry. Ginny turned towards Hermione, "Who do you like?" Hermione answered with a simple 'no one'. So Ginny tried a different question. "Have your ever kissed anyone? And if so, who?" Hermione found the question unethical, since it was two questions but answered anyway.   
  
"Yes I have. And I'm not going to tell you all who it is!" Hermione toppled over as the other girls hit her with pillows, in a friendly manner mind you, repeatedly asking for her to answer. After much running around the room, Hermione gave in.   
  
"It was Draco." the game had somehow changed from truth or dare to "nag Hermione for information on her summer", and what a lovely game it was.   
  
"When!?" the three girls exclaimed.   
  
"It was during the summer. We were in the same dorm, different rooms of course! We got to know each other, and he surprised me one night." the girls giggled and goaded her to continue. "We were coming back from dinner in the cafeteria, he walked me to my dorm room and just kissed me before he said 'good night'." the girls gasped, and began whispering about how idyllic the whole thing really was.   
  
Ginny pulled Hermione aside, away from Lavender and Parvati. And asked, "Does Harry and Ron know?". Hermione shook her head, and Ginny confided her that she wouldn't tell them anything. Hermione was relieved. They began talking of Lavender's summer vacation and what she had done in Italy.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"You should apologize to Hermione." Ron pouted at this.   
  
"Why should I?! Hermione doesn't know Draco at all, and to just blindly trust him like that, is, is just preposterous!" Ron had gotten red. They heard a rapping from the window. It was pig, no, not A PIG, but Ron's Pigwidgeon. They let Pig in and he fluttered around the room for awhile before settling down on Ron's nightstand.   
  
"It's a letter from Professor Lupin!" exclaimed Ron. He read the letter out loud.   
  
  
_ Dear Harry, Ron, and Hermione,  
I hope your school year has gone well so far.  
Sirius's trial cleared and he's a free man now._  
  
"Do you think you'll be able to go live with Sirius once this year is over?!" Harry shrugged and pushed Ron to continue reading.  
  
_ I want you all to be on the look out for suspicious  
characters around school. Something of great  
importance is at the school at the moment. I know  
you've probably discovered it already, but don't  
let your guard down. And like Mad-Eye Moody would  
say, "Constant VIGILANCE!". So heed my advice and  
don't go wandering around school at night anymore.  
Sirius sends his reguards and is hoping to see you  
all sometime during next weekend. Remember,  
keep your eyes open and your wands ready.  
  
~Remus Lupin(Moony)  
  
  
P.S. Sirius hopes to see you during the summer Harry._   
  
  
"See! You'll be living with Sirius from now on! No more horrible muggles for you!" Harry was feeling like a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Sirius is free and he'll be living with him after the school year is over. And no more Dursleys for Harry.   
  
"Hello Harry, Ron." Seamus said while entering the room. He went to his trunk and got out his school bag, then headed out the door.   
  
"Should we go check on Hermione?" Ron asked. Harry was already up and heading to the girls' dorm. Ron quickly got up and followed.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
"You're looking for Hermione?" Lavender asked quizzically. She eyed the both of them with one eyebrow arched. "Hermione is asleep, she decided to go to bed early."   
  
"Is that true, or are you just saying what Hermione wants you to say?" Ron snapped at her. Lavender turned a deep scarlet, and reluctantly let them in.   
  
Hermione was indeed awake, "What are you doing in here?" she wasn't aiming the comment so much at Harry, but at Ron.   
  
"I wanted to apologize for being a git."   
  
"Well, you can't apologize for being a git." Ron frowned and wondered what to do. "But I accept your apology any way." she put out her hand and Ron shook it.   
  
There was someone running up the stairs, and they suddenly burst into the room, it was Neville.   
  
"There's a s-student that's hurt! Hermione, help!" Hermione sprang to her feet and quickly followed Neville into the common room and out the portrait hole.   
  
Harry and Ron stood there shocked, and when they realized they were still in the girls' dorm with Parvati and Lavender glaring at them to get out, they rushed into the common room. A crowd was there, trying to get a peek at what was just outside the portrait hole. Harry and Ron knew better than to disturb Hermione when a student was injured, so they took a couple of seats in the far end of the common room.  
  
  
"What do you think happened, Harry?" Harry shrugged. He hoped it wasn't too bad, there had been enough trauma when Hermione was attacked. He heard gasps and everyone began whispering, "Draco Malfoy".   
  
"What?! Draco Malfoy outside the Gryffindor tower? I'd have to say that's AWFULLY suspicious!" whispered Ron. Harry wasn't listening, he was watching the crowd clear out and Hermione called for Madam Pomfrey. Hermione followed Madam Pomfrey to the hospital wing while Draco followed by means of a levitating stretcher. Draco was unconscious.  
  
  
*******  
  
  
Madam Pomfrey tended to Draco right away, she insisted Hermione leave, but Hermione shook her head. Hermione stayed with Draco over night, making sure he was fine. She had fallen asleep sometime during her watch and was awaken by someone tapping her shoulder.   
  
"Hm? Hi Harry. What time is it?" Hermione looked out the window and realized it was morning already.   
  
"It's seven A.M. Since you didn't return after taking Draco to the hospital wing, Ron and I thought we should check on you in the morning." Harry noticed Hermione's eyes were a bit red, either due to lack of sleep, or crying, it was both.   
  
"Oh, I see. Where's Ron?" Ron was still asleep in the dorm, he had accidently cast a jinx on Harry while half asleep, and Harry thought best not to wake him up.   
  
"In the dorm, sleeping."   
  
"I see."   
  
"So, what's Draco to you, Hermione? Don't think just because Ron didn't see any signs, that I didn't as well." Harry had his usual grin on his face.   
  
"Sit down, this might take awhile to explain."  
  
  
*******  
  
  
  
A/N: Hi!!! This chapter is so much longer than the others so far!! *cheers* And thankfully, I can see an actual plot forming! Yes, I know! A PLOT! *cheers even more* ^^ Please review :3 


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